Musical instrument



July 18, 1933. Q R iT 1,918,295

MUSICAL INSTRUIQENT Filed Jan. 11, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l I 20 i l MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Jan, 11, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 um w Patented July 18, 1933 UNITED STATES CLIFFORD B. SMITH,

PATENT OFFICE OF ASFK'IFABULA OHIO MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Application filed January 11, 19372.

This invention relates to musical instruments of the reed type.

More particularly theinvention relates to an accordion in which the bellows is expanded and collapsed by pedal operated means.

One important object of the invention is to provide an improved general construction for devices of this character.

A second important object oi the invention is to provide an improved instrument of this character having a novel portable support wherein the bellows is housed.

A third important object of the invention is to provide a novel key board arrangement for instruments of this character.

A fourth important object of the invention to provide a novel arrangement of pedal and pedal support for such an instrument.

With the above and other objects in view, as will be hereinafter apparent, the inven tion consists in general of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, like characters of referenc indicate like parts in the several views, and

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the improved reed musical instrument ready for playing;

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a partial side elevation, partly broken away and showing the pedal folded for transportation;

Figure 5 is a rear elevation of amodified form of the instrument;

Figure 6 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the modified form;

Figure 7 is a rear elevation of a second modification of the invention;

Figure 8 is a side elevation, partly in section of the second modification.

In the various embodiments of the invention as herein illustrated there is provided a housing having a base 10, rear wall 11, side walls 12 and top 13. The top 13 is provided Serial 210. 586,016.

with a suitable opening wherein is seated the lower end of the body or reed box 14 of a reed musical instrument. Obviously, this reed b0 may contain the usual double accordion reeds, there being two reeds for each note, one reed working under flow of air in one direction and the other being mute, and the mute reed sounding while the sounding reed mute upon reversal of direction of the air How. it is not deemed necessary to show such reed construction, as no claim is made in this application thereto. To this reed box, there is secured the bellows 15 having a bellows board 16 provided at its lower end. llods 17 e nd between the base 10 and top 13 at each side ot the bellows and guide eyes 18 are carried by the board 16 and slide on these rods to ensure vertical rectilinear movement of the board.

On the bottom of the board 16 is mounted a bearing 19 whereto is journalled one end of a link 20. To the lower end of this link is pivoted one end of a pedal lever 21. Depending from this lever between its ends is pair of ears 22 wherethrough passes a fulcrum rod 23 carrying a fulcrum block 24 which rests on the base 10 as shown in Figures 1 and 3 but swings upwardly with the lever 21, as in Figure 4, when the pedal is arranged for transportation. A suitable covering 25 of ornamental character may be applied to the instrument.

In the form shown in Figures 1 to 4, the upper part of the body is inclined upwardly from front to rear. the reeds (not shown) being located in the forward part of this body. In this form the front of the body 14 is provided with a grille 26 for passage of the sound waves.

In the form shown in Figures 5 and 6, this part of the body is covered by a housing 27 which extends in spaced relation to the reed box at its front and has a grille 28 at its rear. This housing thus forms a resonance chamber.

In the form shown in Figures 7 and 8, the reeds are arranged horizontally and the reed box 14 opens at its top into a housing 29 also provided with a grille 30 at its rear. The

usual key board 31 projects forwardly over the top 13 in each instance.

In each form the musician seats himself in front of the instrument and operates the pedal with his feet while manipulating the keys of the keyboard with his fingers.

There has thus been provided, a simple and efficient device of the kind described and for the purpose specified.

It is obvious that changes may be made in the form and construction of the instrument with out departing from the principles thereof. It is therefore desired that the invention be not limited to the exact form herein shown and described but it is desired that it shall include all forms which come within the scope claimed.

I claim 1. In combination, a housing open at its front and having a top provided with an opening, a reed musical instrument having its lower end projecting into the housing through the opening in the top, a key board projecting forwardly from said musical. instrument over the top, an accordion type bellows connected at its upper end to the reed section of the musical instrument and carrying a bellows board at its lower end, pedal means connected to the bellows board and operable to expand and collapse said bellows, and cooperative guide means in the housing and on the bellows board arranged to guide the latter in a vertical rectilinear path.

2. In combination, a housing open at its front and having a top provided with an opening, a reed musical instrument having its lower end projecting into the housing through the opening in the top, a key board projecting forwardly from said musical instrument over the top, an accordion type bellows connected at its upper end to the reed section of the musical instrument and carrying a bellows board at its lower end, a link having its upper end pivotally connected to the bellows board, a pedal lever pivoted to the lower end of said link and foldable upwardly thereon, a fulcrum block pivotally connected to the lever and adapted to rest on the bottom of the housing in playing position, and cooperative guide means in the housing and on the bellows board arranged to guide the latter in a vertical rectilinear path.

3. In combination, a housing open at its front and having a top provided with an opening. a reed musical instrument having its lower end projecting into the housing through the opening in the top, a key board projecting forwardly from said musical instrument over the top, an accordion type bellows connected at its upper end to the reed section of the musical instrument and carrying a bellows board at its lower end, pedal means connected to the bellows board and operable to expand and collapse said bellows, and a resonance chamber carried by the upper end of the musical instrument above said housing, said reed section opening into said resonance chamber.

l. In combination, a housing open at its front and having a top provided with an opening, a reed musical instrument having its lower end projecting into the housing through the opening in the top, a key board project-ing forwardly from said musical instrument over the top, an accordion type bellows connected at its upper end to the reed section of the musical instrument and carrying a bellows board at its lower end, a link having its upper end pivotally connected to the bellows board, a pedal lever pivot d to the lower end of said link and foldablo upwardly thereon, a fulcrum block pivotally coin nected to the lever and adapted to rest on the bottom of the housing in playing position, and a resonance chamber carried bv the upper end of the musical insti'innent above said housing, said reed section opening into said resonance chamber.

In combination, a hous ng open at its front and having a top provided with an opening, a reed musical instrument having its lower end projecting into the housing through the opening in the top, a key board projecting forwardly from said musical instrument over the top, an accordion type bellows connected at its upper end to the reed section of the musical instrument and carrying a bellows board at its lower end, pedal means counccted to the bellows board and operable to expand and collapse said bellows, cooperative guide means in the housing and on the bellows board ar *anged to guide the latter in a vertical rectilinear path, and a resonance chamber carried by the upper end of the musical instrument above said housing, said reed section opening into said resonance chamber.

(i. In combination, a housing open at its front and having a top provided with an opening, a reed musical instrumenthaving its lower end projecting into the housing through the opening in the top, a key board projecting forwardly from said musical instrument over the top, an accordion type bellows connected at its upper end to the reed section of the musical instrument and carrying a bellows board at its lower end, a link having its upper end pivotally connected to the bellows board, a pedal lever pivoted to the lower end of said link and foldable upwardly thereon, a fulcrum block pivotally connected to the lever and adapted to rest on the bottom of the housing in playing position, cooperative guide means in the housing and on the bellows board arranged to guide the latter in a vertical rectilinear path, and a resonance chamber carried by the upper end of the musical instrument above said housing, said reed section opening into said resonance chamber.

7 In combination, a housing, a reed action carried by and having a part projecting into the housing, a key board carried by the reed action exteriorly of the housing, an accordion type bellows connected at one end to the reed action and carrying a bellows board at its other end, pedal means connected to the bellows board and operable to expand and collapse said bellows and cooperative guide means in the housing carried by the housing and bellows board arranged to guide the latter in a vertical path within the housing.

8. In combination, a housing, a reed action carried by and having a part extending into the housing, a key board carried by the reed action exteriorly of the housing, an accordion type bellows connected at one end to the reed action and carrying a bellows board at its other end, pedal means connected to the bellows board and operable to expand and collapse said bellows, and means for causing the bellows to move in a vertical path including guide rods on the housing and guide eyes on the bellows board slidable on the guide rods.

9. In combination, a housing, a reed action carried by and having a part extending into the housing, a key board carried by the reed action exterior-1y of the housing, an accordion type bellows connected at one end to the reed action and carrying a bellows board at its other end, pedal means connected to the bellows board and operable to expand and collapse said bellows, and cooperating guide means carried by the housing and opposite ends of the bellows board for guiding the bellows in a vertical path.

10. In a reed musical instrument, a double action bellows in open communication with the reeds of the instrument and pedal means for double actuation of the bellows.

11. In a reed musical instrument, ahousing support, a reed musical instrument mounted thereon and having a reed section, a resonance chamber and a key board, and a foot operated double action single bellows within the housing support in direct communication with the reed section of the musical instrument.

12. In a reed musical instrument, a housing support, a reed musical instrument mounted thereon and having reed section, a resonance chamber and a key board, and a foot operated double action single bellows within the housing support in open communication with the reed section 01"? the musical instrument.

13. In a reed musical instrument, a housing support, a reed musical instrument mounted thereon and having a reed section, a resonance chamber and a key board, and a foot operated single bellows within the housing support in direct communication with the reed section ot the musical instrument, whereby crescendo and diminuendo tone volumes are produces by speed of operation of the bellows in response to variance of pressure on the foot operated means of the bellows.

14. In a reed musical instrument, a hous ing support, a reed musical instrument mounted thereon and having a reed section, a resonance chamber and a key board, and a foot operated single bellows within the housing support in open communication with the reed section of the musical. instrument, whereby crescendo and diminuendo tone volumes are produced by speed of operation of the bellows in response to variance of pres sure on the foot operated means of the bellows.

CLIFFORD B. SMITH. 

